Dust-free operation
UHP waterjetting does not generate an abrasive dust cloud. Adjacent trades, intakes, and occupied plants stay cleaner. Silica exposure from blasting media is not part of the method.
Why UHP / Why SurfaceJet
Cleaner steel. Cleaner site. Higher production.
Water removes coating and corrosion without throwing abrasive. The method we specify for large marine and industrial structures.
01Method
What UHP waterjetting does that blasting does not.
Superior cleanliness
Waterjetting is specified to SSPC-SP WJ / NACE waterjet standards (WJ-1 through WJ-4). The result is a coating-ready surface without embedded grit.
Chloride and salt removal
UHP water dissolves and flushes soluble salts that abrasive blasting can drive into the profile. Residual chlorides are a primary cause of premature coating failure.
Sensitive equipment
Waterblasting is the method of choice around compressors, turbines, large intakes, and rotating equipment where grit ingress can shut a unit down.
Waste reduction
The waste stream is coating debris and water — not tons of spent abrasive to collect, test, and dispose. Containment and disposal costs drop with the volume.
Coatings fracture at UHP
Most coatings will fracture at 36,000 psi or less, depending on the condition of the coating and the coating type. 40,000 psi pumps are used for those applications. 55,000 psi pumps are for robot applications.
Robotic productivity
SurfaceJet carries both vacuum and magnetic robotic equipment. Crawlers — magnetic or vacuum-adhered to the structure — hold a consistent path and standoff across hull plate and tank shell. Production is higher than handheld jetting, with less time in the jetting zone.
02Comparison
UHP versus abrasive blasting
| Factor | UHP waterjetting | Abrasive blasting |
|---|---|---|
| Airborne debris | Mist and coating fragments, contained at the tool | Abrasive dust cloud |
| Soluble salts | Flushed from the surface | Often driven into the profile |
| Waste volume | Removed coating plus water | Coating plus spent abrasive |
| Rotating equipment | No grit to ingest | High ingress risk |
| Surface standard | WJ-1 to WJ-4 | SP-6 / SP-10 / SP-5 |
| Embedded media | None | Grit can remain in pits |
| Large-area production | Magnetic or vacuum-adhered crawler, consistent path | Crew and blast-pot limited |
Waterjetting is not a substitute for every specification. Where a profile must be cut into new steel, abrasive still has a role. For recoating existing structures — especially marine and process equipment — UHP is simply cleaner.
03Questions
UHP, rentals, and locations.
- What is UHP waterjetting?
- Ultra-high pressure waterjetting uses water at typically 40,000 to 55,000 psi to remove coating and corrosion without abrasive grit. 55,000 psi pumps are for robot applications. 40,000 psi pumps are used for other applications. Most coatings will fracture at 36,000 psi or less, depending on coating condition and coating type.
- Is robotic UHP equipment available for rent?
- No. Robotic UHP systems are for hire only. SurfaceJet carries both vacuum and magnetic robotic equipment — magnetic or vacuum-adhered to the structure. 55,000 psi pumps are for those robot applications. 40,000 psi pumps, jetlances (dry shutoff guns), and hoses are available for rent.
- Where does SurfaceJet work?
- Shops in New Iberia and Harahan, Louisiana, and Pascagoula, Mississippi. We have worked from the south to the north, east to west, and regularly work internationally.
04Why SurfaceJet
Equipment, training, and robotic production from one Gulf Coast company.
We are not a broker dropping a pump. SurfaceJet has decades in waterjet systems, suspended scaffold, containment, and consulting. Robotic UHP is how we take that experience onto large structures at production rates.
Progressive
Hardware plus training. Safer crews, better system awareness, and third-party visibility into job cost. Consumables, manuals, and specialty tools ship with the spread.
Predictable
Every rental unit is inspected, serviced, and pressure-tested by factory-trained technicians before it leaves. We carry parts and provide technical support while the equipment is on rent.
Proactive
Safety, operations, and maintenance classes. 12- and 24-hour operator and technician courses qualify for government grants. SurfaceJet is a State of Louisiana ITWP grant training provider.
Next step
Ready to discuss a project?
Call New Iberia for robotic work, rental spreads, or class dates. Tell us the structure, the coating, and the schedule.